Police conduct "shakedown" at Cumberland County Jail

Thursday morning, local and state law enforcement agencies searched the Cumberland County jail for drugs, tobacco, contraband, and other violations as part of a shakedown.

Cumberland County Sheriff Kevin Joyce said county corrections officers, along with Maine State Police, Westbrook and Lisbon police and about half a dozen K-9's searched the jail.

Joyce said keeping drugs out of the jail is a constant struggle, and the unannounced shakedowns are an effective way to keep things out and give officers hands-on training.

Joyce said the search was kept so secret, he only found out it was going to happen the day before.

"This is a great report card for the corrections officers to know that if we don't find anything, then they're doing their job good, if we do find stuff it just shows us we need to work a little harder." Joyce said.

Corrections Officer Donald Mowatt said the periodic shakedowns let the inmates know they are being watched, and it keeps corrections officers up to day on how to look for contraband coming into the jail and how to find it in cells and hidden in clothing.

Mowatt said, "Typically, it's very successful, a lot of times we don't have great finds when we come in and do these things, because they know that these things happen and even when things come in, it tends to not be a great deal."

Joyce said most items found during the search are considered administrative violations at the jail.

Some items found that may lead to possible criminal charges include two lighters, a shank made of hardened plastic, a glass tube with residue believed to be cocaine, and approximately two gallons of home brew.

Copyright 2013 byWMTW.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Comments

The views expressed are not those of this site, this station or its affiliated companies. By posting your comments you agree to accept our terms of use.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said Sunday it was "very alarmed" by reports of widespread doping by track and field athletes in major competitions including the Olympic Games and world championships.

The Obama administration will unveil a major climate change plan Monday aimed at a large reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the nation's coal-burning power plants, a senior administration official told CNN.

As top GOP presidential candidates arrived at a hotel here to court the influential donors of the Koch network, Charles Koch called on retreat attendees to unite with him in a campaign against "corporate welfare" and "irresponsible spending" by both ...